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I got a chance to ask Bay area artist Balance some questions.  We spoke on the westcoast, The New Bay, his Balance The Mixtape and alot of other issues. If you haven't picked up his cd yet, I would recommend it. If you like that westcoast sound and beat, this is one that will really surprise you. I know it did me. If you would like to order it or hear a little bit of it, or if you have a comment or just want to show some love to Balance; click  HERE . He has  message boards he does post on there. So check him out. Here is what we talked about:

Robert - Thanks for taking time to talk with us.

Balance – no problem man thanks for the opportunity.

Robert - I won't front ya, The first I heard of you is from 'Curtains' and 'We Don't Stunt'. 'Balance The Mixtape' is really hott. I listened and I was very impressed, and I see hope for the west.

Balance – one luv homie. "we don’t stunt" was a big record for us (me + frontline) a lot of dj’s from the east to west really loved that record. It wasn’t a diss to 50 cent it was jus saying yo out here in the bay we don’t really stunt. We wear white t-shirts, nikes, and jeans. I put a lot of time into my mix cd, plus I been freestylin on mix cd’s in the bay for 3 to 4 yrs before---I mean, I been on every dj’s mix cd out here. So it ain’t like I’m jus a new dude tryin to get in the game by copying off 50 cent.

Robert - I read where you said that the west is losing on the national level. Do you contribute that to the lack of air play or a lack of talent?

Balance – I defenately don’t think it’s a lack of talent. You got cats like sly boogy, frontline, crooked I, the game, etc. that are west coast mc’s that could go round for round with the best of them. So its not talent. I think it’s the fact that a west coast new artists needs to get on a major label that is gonna support them a 150%. When that happens and you get a label that is excited about a new artist out the west then you will see it happen. But it has to be more than one it has to be four or 5 rappers doin it from the west and then cats will be like "ohh shit the west is back".

Robert - You also said that "we need to elevate our game in order to make our scene pop again". What artist do you see with this elevated attitude?

Balance –its a lot of artists that’s elevating they game. B-legit, e-a-ski, rich rich they all are elevating they game. Then you got the godfather DR. Dre who every time he drops he elevates not only his game but the whole industries game.

Robert - Recently MTV removed The Boo Yaa T.R.I.B.E.'s 'Bang On' video from rotation because of to much gang affiliation. Your album is hott but would the 'radio' versions of the tracks still hold true to the tracks?

Balance – fo sho. I don’t change what I do to make radio records. I may bleep a curse or change a curse word to another word, but u can’t make records for radio. You have to make your records and at the end of the day if the radio wants to play it they will play it. But even if radio don’t play your records it don’t stop ther. Jus think NWA never had radio play, only now do rap artists get radio play.

Robert - Could the 'Roughness' of westcoast rap be a contributing factor to why there is lil to no air play?

Balance – naw I think it come down to the beats. If the beat make the masses move their ass, then it has chance to get radio play. If it’s a song girls will like then you may have a chance at radio play, but it don’t matter what u say its usually the beat and hook that makes SINGLES.

Robert - Death Row Records was the heart of the westcoast sound in the 90's. But after some left and Tupac died they seemed to lose their standing. What are you

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